April 30, 2013

Tea Review: Le Palais des Thés - Thé des Moines

Thé des Moines offered by Le Palais des Thés was created, according to legend, by Tibetan monks who blended green and black teas with plants and flowers, soaked the blend for several days, then removed the leaves. This process "turned the tea into gold and gave it its exceptional scent."

The scent is exceptional; it is a mix of spicy, herbal, sweet, citrusy and woody flavors. The spicy smell and taste reminds me of the mukhwas you eat after an Indian meal; lots of coriander, fennel, and licorice flavors. The licorice note contributes a sweet taste. The citrus note: imagine squeezing grapefruit zest. I love grapefruit! And finally, the woody notes remind me of pine and cedar. It's a complexly delicious tea.

The tea steeps like a black tea at 205 degrees F, for three minutes, producing a dark amber liquid so one could add milk but I prefer to drink mine plain. Thé des Moines is recommended for all day drinking. Because of the coriander-fennel-licorice notes, I would recommend drinking it after meals.

Thé des Moines is part of the Signature Flavored Tea lines, Les Créations, created by Le Palais de Thés. Learn more about these teas here.